“The GOP’s weaponizing of these dangerous lies and inflammatory rhetoric should be setting off alarm bells everywhere. They are doing so at the expense of women, families, and reproductive freedom, and it lays bare the truth about their agenda: they will stop at nothing to criminalize abortion outright.

“We’ve seen time and time again that when politicians use violent rhetoric, violence surges across the country. Spreading anti-choice lies and inciting violence has real consequences, and if the GOP is going to condone, engage in, and perpetuate this abhorrent strategy, they will need to own it and answer for it to the American people.

“The GOP can’t continue to call themselves ‘pro-life’ when they continue to put children in cages, let countless women die in childbirth, and repeatedly try to rip healthcare away from millions of Americans. Their lack of compassion for women, families, and all of our shared humanity leaves them without a single shred of credibility in their hollow attempt to claim the ‘pro-life’ and ‘pro-family’ mantle. Their goal is to criminalize abortion, exert control in personal family decision making and undercut science. They must own and defend that toxic agenda and the collateral damage that it incurs.”

The sharp rise in threats and violence comes at a time when the majority of Americans – 7 in 10 – want to keep Roe v. Wade intact. Evidence also shows that threats and violence also directly correlates to inflammatory tactics aimed at abortion providers. According to the ​most recent report​, there have been 11 murders since 1993. There have been 26 attempted murders since 1991. Since 1977 there have been at least 42 bombings, 185 arsons, and thousands of attacks and threats made against abortion providers and clinics.

NARAL Pro-Choice America and its network of state affiliates and chapters are dedicated to protecting and expanding reproductive freedom for all. For more than 50 years, NARAL has worked to guarantee that every woman has the right to make personal decisions regarding the full range of reproductive choices, including preventing unintended pregnancy, bearing healthy children, and choosing legal abortion. Since 1969, NARAL has made history, grown to over 2 million members, and met the moments that have defined this fight with action, power and freedom. In recognition of its work defending our constitutional right to choose, Fortune Magazine described NARAL as “one of the top 10 advocacy groups in America.”